Algeria train accidents kill 52 in 25 months

A total of 52 people were killed and 206 were injured in train accidents in Algeria since 2007 until January 2009, according to the National Railway General Department.

• Collisions between people and trains killed 31 and injured 73 in 2007-2008 while 20 were killed and 47 were injured in rail junction accidents in the same period.
• Stones throwing accidents generally caused by playing children injured 56 train passengers in 2007 and 24 others in 2008.
• Delegate director of trains traffic security told Echorouk collisions injured two while there were eight cases of stones throwing wounding two people.
• He added that rail junction accidents killed one and injured two.
• Earlier in February, a total of 21 people were injured when two passenger trains collided on Sunday night near Algiers.
• The delegate director said the investigation commission on the accident would announce its results to reach the real reasons behind the accident.
• Previously, Algerian transport minister had said the accident took place because one of the two drivers might not have respected the stop signals.